Trader Joe's Basque Style Cheesecakes

I've heard of the Basque region my whole life, but I never even looked up exactly where it was until now. Apparently it straddles the border between southwestern France and northern Spain. There's also an autonomous community in Spain by the same name. This product does indeed come to us from Spain, though it's not specified that it comes from the Basque region per se, hence the name Basque-style rather than just Basque.

Two hockey puck-sized discs come frozen in Trader Joe's Basque Style Cheesecakes. Simply remove from packaging and thaw, covered, in the fridge for four hours. Easy as pie...uh, I mean cake. Er, cheesecake. Anyway, the product is soft and fluffy and scrumdiddlyumptious.

It's very caramel-forward to my palate. It's sweet and tangy and slightly tart. It's quite creamy both in flavor and texture. Despite my expectations, it's much more rich, indulgent, and dense than Trader Joe's Japanese Soufflé Cheesecakes. That's just fine by me. As much as I enjoyed trying those Japanese dealies, they just didn't deliver the comfort food euphoria that I'm looking for in cheesecake.

These did. They're like a fluffy custard made with cheese spread, egg, cream, and sugar. There's a hint of browning on the top of the dessert, but the inside is just sumptuous smooth sweet cream. Delicious.

There's no breading here of any kind. In fact, the product is labeled as gluten free. As much as I love breading and/or graham cracker crusts, these smooth, circular snacks don't suffer for want of a carby coating. I suppose you could throw some kind of berries or whipped cream on top if you wanted to jazz them up a bit, but honestly, they don't need it. They're simple but scrumptious as they are.

$4.99 for two frozen cheesecakes. Product of Spain. Gluten free. Available for a limited time only, though I'd hope they'd consider keeping this around all year. Would buy again. Eight and a half stars from me for Trader Joe's Basque Style Cheesecakes. The beautiful wifey will go with eight out of ten stars.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Apple Crisp Milk Chocolate Caramels

Looks like Trader Joe's Apple Cider Caramels have disappeared, never to return. Too bad because we liked those quite a bit. Then they offered Trader Joe's Apple Caramels, which also contained apple cider. They've gone the way of the dodo. Aaaand now we have Trader Joe's Apple Crisp Caramels. Let's not get too attached to them considering TJ's track record with discontinued products—applicious caramel candies in particular.

Again, it's a shame, because these are unique and tasty. They come to us all the way from Ireland. That's unexpected. They make some killer potato chips over there, but who knew they did apple caramels, too?

There's a crispy, crunchy layer to these bite-sized candies. Looks like the crunchy part might be...<gasp> chickpea flour? Looking through the ingredients, I can't imagine what else it might be. No crisp rice. No toffee. I suppose you could prepare cornstarch in such a way as to make it crunchy. I mean as much as I love the delicious and versatile garbanzo bean, I don't necessarily want any in my apple flavored chocolate caramel candy.

But you know what? It works. There's just enough crunch to let you know they were going for apple crisp. And it actually tastes like apples and cinnamon and maybe even a hint of something grainy. I like 'em.

The milk chocolate is the right choice here. It's nice and sweet and it balances out the spicier elements. Traderjoes.com says there are little pieces of apple throughout the candy. Umm. I'm not saying it's a lie, but I certainly didn't see any of said apple pieces in my candies. Either they're so tiny you need some sort of optical assistance to see them or maybe just not every single bonbon has them..? I mean, there is "apple paste" in there as well as apple juice concentrate, so you're definitely getting some real apple. I just don't see anything that could be considered a "bit of apple." Not even a teeny little one. But I digress.

$5.99 for ten pieces of imported chocolate caramels. Product of Ireland. Fall exclusive seasonal product. Would buy again next year. Eight out of ten stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Apple Crisp Milk Chocolate Caramels. I'll go with seven and a half.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's London Fog Concentrate

It wasn't all that long ago when I discovered the London Fog drink. Traditionally, it's Earl Grey tea, milk, vanilla, and sweetener of your choice. I made a few using Trader Joe's Bourbon Vanilla Extract a couple years ago and was quite pleased with the results. Sonia has whipped up a London Fog or two of her own in the recent past and those were quite tasty, too. She's had a few from local coffee shops and generally likes the beverage. I don't think I've ever had one from a coffee place or a pre-mixed version prior to this offering from TJ.

To prepare Trader Joe's London Fog Tea Drink Concentrate, simply mix one part concentrate to two parts milk or non-dairy milk alternative. Serve over ice for a latte or heat it all up for a traditional hot tea beverage. Predictably, I preferred it cold and the beautiful wifey liked it better hot.

The result is surprisingly sweet. There's plenty of bright citrus and smooth, earthy Earl Grey underneath it, but the cane sugar and vanilla are more dominant than I expected. There's also a bit of extra citrus essence thanks to bergamot oil, lemon extract, and lemon juice concentrate. Earl Grey itself usually has some bergamot and citrus, and these extra ingredients helped accentuate the citrusy undertones.

We made ours with good old-fashioned cow's milk, which gave the drink a nice creamy body and helped mellow out some of that citrusy Earl Grey bite. But the beauty of a London Fog is that you can customize it to your heart's content. Oat milk would probably be a particularly good fit here, adding a little natural sweetness and a creamy texture that plays nicely with the vanilla. Almond milk might make things a bit lighter and nuttier, while soy milk could provide a fuller, creamier result of its own. Coconut milk might introduce a more pronounced tropical note, which could either complement the vanilla or compete with the bergamot, depending on your personal preferences. Your mileage may vary, of course, but there's plenty of room to experiment with this one.

$2.99 for the 16 oz bottle. Makes four 12 oz beverages after mixing with milk. Kosher. Keep refrigerated after opening. Sonia says Trader Joe's London Fog reminds her of the Earl Grey latte she used to get regularly from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf many years ago, and she's a big fan of both. She'll go with eight and a half stars for Trader Joe's London Fog Tea Drink Concentrate. I'm not gonna argue with that.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Chip Brioche Style Liège Waffles

Trader Joe's has been on a bit of a Liège waffle kick lately, and we're not complaining. Well, mostly. The latest addition to the lineup is Trader Joe's Chocolate Chip Brioche Style Liège Waffles, which combine the familiar bready, buttery goodness of the original with little bits of chocolate. Because apparently, sometimes the answer to "How can we improve this?" is just chocolate. Revolutionary stuff, folks.

For $4.99, you get six individually wrapped waffles imported from Belgium. That's a little less than a dollar per waffle, which isn't too bad considering the convenience factor. They're perfectly fine straight from the bag, making them a decent little breakfast or snack when you don't feel like doing anything more ambitious than opening a wrapper. But if you have a toaster handy, we'd recommend giving them a little heat first.

Texture-wise, we're getting the same general experience as the other Brioche Style Liège Waffles. There's a slightly crunchy exterior thanks to the pearl sugar, while the inside is soft, chewy, and pleasantly carb-o-riffic. The chocolate chips provide some extra sweetness and ooey-gooey goodness without completely taking over the show. Honestly, this flavor works about as well as any of the others we've tried, and I personally like it considerably more than the recently-reviewed pumpkin version. That autumnal orange gourd doesn't belong on everything, unfortunately.

Speaking of seasonal flavors, we're still scratching our heads a little over the timing. Why launch chocolate chip waffles in the fall, right alongside the pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and everything else that tastes like a flannel shirt feels? Chocolate is a year round affair, Trader Joe's. Let it have its own moment.

As for serving suggestions, these are pretty versatile. Toast one up, slather on a little butter, and enjoy the simple pleasures of a sweet Belgian breakfast. Or go the dessert route with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Add some fresh berries if you're feeling fancy. Nobody needs to know you assembled the whole thing in approximately 45 seconds.

Sonia gives Trader Joe's Chocolate Chip Brioche Style Liège Waffles eight out of ten stars. I'll go with seven and a half. They're convenient, tasty, and a nice addition to the Liège waffle lineup, even if they're not exactly reinventing the waffle wheel.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Bark

There are folks that trust in the existence of The Great Pumpkin, there are those that refuse to believe without proof, and there are those who are...pumpkin agnostics. Like Fox Mulder, I want to believe...so I try nearly every pumpkin item Trader Joe's puts out. Sometimes you find a trace of transcendence—of greatness, if you will, and it leaves you with hope. Other times, you're left still searching, and your searches leave you with more questions than answers.

I really think Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Bark could go either way for most folks. Big pumpkin spice fans will undoubtedly love it, provided they're okay with white chocolate. Pumpkin spice doubters might find it a bit overwhelming in terms of the ginger, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.

For those of you who are new here, I love white chocolate and always have. Sonia likes it in certain instances. We both like it here just fine. I think what's happening is they tried to balance out the sweetness of the sugary white chocolate with a decent amount of pumpkin spice. The result is both sweet and pumpkin spicy with a nice bit of bready crunch from the gingersnaps and a hint of saltiness from the pretzels.

If I could ask for more of one element, it's the pretzels. That saltiness goes a long way to balance out the spicy and sweet. There's also some sea salt right in the bark itself, but it's not overdone. There's plenty of gingersnap cookie mixed right into the candy. I don't have a problem with it, but there's already plenty of ginger flavor in there, so it's a bit redundant in terms of taste. It does add a nice cookie texture to the otherwise smooth white chocolate and dark chocolate drizzle. All in all, this is one of the better chocolate bark products we've seen from TJ's over the past decade and a half.

See also:

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Bark

Trader Joe's Sweetheart Bark

Trader Joe's Cowboy Bark

Trader Joe's Cowgirl Bark

We'll finish this resealable bag, no problem. I'm glad they're experimenting with white chocolate products. In the end, I'm not really the biggest bark guy in the world, so I don't think I'd pick this one up again. The beautiful wifey would consider a repurchase next year. $5.49 for the 8 oz resealable bag. Kosher. Seven and a half stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Bark. Seven out of ten stars from me.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Oat Bites

This is the part of the autumn season where I realize we bought more pumpkin and pumpkin spice products than any other flavor and I decide to do a theme for a week on the blog. Hooray for Pumpkin Week 2026. At this point, we've reviewed well over one hundred pumpkin products from Trader Joe's over the years, so the bar is set pretty high. Let's see what's on the menu for today.

It's Trader Joe's Pumpkin Oat Bites. These were a pleasant surprise. There's a nice, sweet pumpkin and pumpkin spice center in these things. It's just flavorful enough to balance out the dense, hearty grains without going overboard. It's got the same soft, chewy mouthfeel as Trader Joe's Raspberry Oat Bites. For some reason, we found the PB&J variety to be a little too stiff in terms of texture.

We like the convenient packaging—each bite is individually wrapped for maximum freshness and portability. Taking a hike? Throw one in your cargo pocket, gentlemen, for a little pick-me-up out on the trails. Late for work? Toss one in your purse, ladies, to snack on while you ride the train.

Crumble one on top of Greek yogurt for a fancy little parfait. Put pieces on vanilla ice cream for dessert. Add to a chai smoothie for a bit of extra texture. Upgrade a bowl of warm oatmeal by adding one of these bites on top. But they're perfectly fine straight from the package, and that's how we finished all six—sometimes they were breakfast, sometimes they were a between meal snack. Either way, they got the job done. Not too indulgent, yet surprisingly not boring.

$3.99 for six filling little gluten free snacks. Seven and a half stars from both Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Pumpkin Oat Bites, same score we gave to the raspberry ones. In the end, I think I'm in the mood for raspberry more than pumpkin, but these were a nice autumnal changeup that worked better than either of us expected them to. Would buy again next fall.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin & Spice Brioche Liège Waffles

Trader Joe's Pumpkin & Spice Brioche Style Liège Waffles debuted last year, I believe. We weren't able to pick up a pack in 2025, however we made a successful attempt on our last TJ's run just last month. This product will run you $4.49 for six individually-wrapped waffles imported from Belgium.

This is my least favorite of the Brioche Style Liège Waffles so far and one of my least favorite pumpkin products in a while. I'm not sure what it is, really. Too much pumpkin puree? Too much clove? Too much...something.

We still have the same convenient format. Same size. Same shape. Unlike its predecessors though, I found this variety nearly inedible straight from the package. I thought the original (plain) Brioche Liège Waffles were especially good when eaten at room temperature right out of the wrapper. These pumpkin ones are significantly better dressed up, IMO. Toss 'em in the toaster, slather them with butter and syrup, and suddenly we're looking at a fairly pleasant breakfast.

On their own, that "pumpkin spice" flavor is just too dominant. There’s something almost savory-adjacent about it, or maybe it’s the combination of pumpkin puree and whatever assortment of pumpkin pie spices they’ve got going on here. I’m getting a lot more clove than I’d prefer. Sonia thinks it doesn't taste enough like the warm pumpkin pie type spices she's used to. I think we both wanted more cinnamon and sugar on a product like this and less squash.

Also check out:

Trader Joe's Brioche Style Liège Waffles

Trader Joe's Maple Brioche Style Liège Waffles

Trader Joe's Strawberry Brioche Style Liège Waffles

Stay tuned for a review of the chocolate chip variety.

Sonia likes these least of all as well, although she'll be a bit more lenient on the scoring. She'll spring for seven out of ten stars, and she's generally a fan of all things pumpkin spice. I'm going with six out of ten. Not awful, but I, personally, wouldn't buy Trader Joe's Pumpkin & Spice Brioche Style Liège Waffles again.

Sonia's score: 7 out of 10.

Nathan's score: 6 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Everything But the Bartender Paloma

It's a bonus weekend review! Not something we do very often, but I figure why not? Neither the beautiful wifey nor I have ever had a paloma before, though we've frequently had all the ingredients on hand and could've made one ourselves many times over. It's grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, sparkling water, and salt. It's essentially a margarita made with grapefruit juice instead of orange liqueur.

And Trader Joe's Everything But the Bartender Paloma is most definitely sweet—nearly syrupy sweet with agave. Sonia was surprised how sweet it is. I'd say it's pretty much on par with the sweetness level of Trader Joe's Everything But the Bartender Lime Margarita, reviewed just last year on this blog. I kind of like the grapefruit twist, to be honest. I never even knew a grapefruit margarita was a thing, and I certainly didn't know it was called a "paloma."

Sonia wishes it were less sweet but also admits that once her ice melts about halfway, it's just about perfect. She likes it just a tad more than the above-mentioned margarita. I'd have to agree. Looks like the Cosmopolitan is Sonia's favorite out of the three, while I'd have to say it's my least favorite. We've also reviewed Trader Joe's Everything But the Bartender Gin & Tonic.

The format of these Everything But the Bartender drinks is quite convenient, and there's no guesswork as far as mixing ratios or anything like that. In this case, each drink winds up costing about two and a half bucks, so you're talking about way less money than you'd drop if you were buying something like this at a bar or a club. They err on the side of sweet rather than stiff or strong or bitter.

$9.99 for the four pack of 200 mL cans. 15% alcohol by volume. I think this is more of a summer libation than an autumn one, but it was still on shelves as of our big TJ's run last month. Might buy again. I'm glad they actually show the ingredients since alcoholic beverages are not required to do so, and they genuinely look like very high quality contents. Eight out of ten stars from both Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Everything But the Bartender Paloma.

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bars

I think this is the fourth year in a row Trader Joe's has offered these Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bars leading up to Halloween time. But this is the first year Sonia and I managed to get our hands on a bag. They've been sold out every single time we've tried to get them for the past three years. Finally, we're fortunate enough to try them.

They're a product of Germany. Those Deutsch folks really know their chocolate. Just ask Üter Zörker. I assume these candy bars come from the same chocolatier that gave us Trader Joe's Teensy Candy Bars. Let's break down the bag by each of the four different types of confections you'll find within.

First up, the yellow wrapper. It's the nougat chocolate bar. Just smooth, soft, sweet nougat surrounded by milk chocolate. It's the simplest of the bars and it's pretty good. To quote Radiohead, "no alarms and no surprises" is exactly how I feel about this offering. Basically a German Three Musketeers.

Next, let's look at the nougat & caramel chocolate bar in the purple package. True to the name, this bar contains...you guessed it: nougat, caramel, and chocolate. It's exactly like the previous bar but with caramel thrown into the mix. It's most similar to a Milky Way bar if we're talking American classics. For reasons I can't really articulate, I think I like these first two bars just a tad more than their name brand counterparts.

Moving along, it's time for the caramel & wafer chocolate bar in the black. If the other three bars in this collection are treats, then this one is the trick. Why? It's oddly large and oddly hard. The wafers here are extremely rigid. Sonia and I both found it quite difficult to bite into and chew. There's nothing wrong with the flavor. Looks like the wafers are made of wheat (and corn?) but I feel like crisp rice might have yielded something with a much more pleasant mouthfeel. We actually cut this one into four or five smaller bites with a sharp knife in order to eat it. This one is our least favorite just because of the hard texture. There's no exact match as far as American candy bars are concerned, at least as far as I can tell. Drop a comment if you think there's a name brand selection that's comparable.

Let's end on a positive note: the peanut & caramel chocolate bar in the blue wrapper. It's quite similar to the aforementioned Teensy Candy Bars which are, in turn, quite similar to classic Snickers bars. I think Zero is my favorite candy bar of all time, but if we're talking milk chocolate, then I might go with Snickers. Once again, this German knockoff is at least as good as the name brand. It's sweet, peanutty, and packed with creamy caramel. This one is our favorite by a good margin.

$4.99 for the 14.7 oz bag containing approximately 24 miniature candy bars. Product of Germany. Would possibly buy again. They'd be fun to give out to kids at Halloween. I really wish that wafer bar were easier to bite into. I think I'd go for the Teensy Candy Bars again before Trader Joe's Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bars. The yellow and purple wrappers are a tad boring after a while, so the blue ones with peanuts are really the only ones I'm ever craving with any regularity. Still, this is a quality product for a reasonable price. Eight out of ten stars from Sonia. Seven and a half stars from me.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Flan

This is another thing that just didn't need pumpkinized. I guess we can't blame Trader Joe's for that since flan de calabaza is a thing in certain parts of Latin America, despite neither Sonia nor I being aware of its existence until this autumnal oddity came along. The texture is nearly identical to Trader Joe's Caramel Flan: soft, smooth, creamy, custard-esque. No complaints there.

Flavor-wise, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Flan is a pandemonium of pumpkin and pumpkin spice—a flandemonium, if you will. There's an off-putting aftertaste that really bugged Sonia. The spice blend is almost like potpourri. It's not subtle enough. There's an odd clove essence that just lingers long after you've finished your dish.

Furthermore, I actually taste the pumpkin puree. And by that, I mean I taste it too much. In my experience, good flan just doesn't need winter squash mixed into it.

For those of you who are new here, let's review. Sonia, the beautiful wifey or "la esposita bonita," is Latina and grew up with flan from a very young age. In fact, she can even make her own. While familiar with the dessert, I'm far from an expert, but we both gave Trader Joe's Caramel Flan the thumbs up with matching eight and a half star scores. We were both very pleasantly surprised.

That neutral, sweet caramel flavor is one of the things that made it so good—so much cleaner on the palate. So much safer. So much better executed.

Again, the texture here is very pleasant. The presentation is delightful. The ingredients list is top-notch and above board. Apparently pumpkin flan is widely recognized as a traditional holiday dessert in other parts of Latin America like Cuba and Puerto Rico, however, it's less common in Mexico. As Sonia puts it, "There's a reason nobody in my family ever made flan de calabaza." Perhaps it's just an acquired taste that neither of us has acquired yet.

$3.49 for two servings of pumpkin-flavored dessert found in the refrigerated section. In my opinion, there's just absolutely no reason to purchase this if the caramel flan is available. Feel free to disagree in the comments below. Six and a half stars from Sonia. Six out of ten stars from me for Trader Joe's Pumpkin Flan.

Bottom line: 6.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Cinnamon Powdered Sugar Mini Donuts

Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Powdered Sugar Mini Donuts are one of those products where I’m not entirely sure what to make of them. Not because they’re bad. Quite the opposite, actually. They’re really decent little donuts. The problem is that they’re almost too normal. These are basically the kind of cinnamon powdered sugar mini donuts you might find at any number of grocery stores, gas stations, or convenience stores. There’s nothing particularly weird, inventive, exotic, or especially Joesian about them. And yet...we kinda like ’em.

For $4.49, you get a 10-ounce bag of Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Powdered Sugar Mini Donuts. They’re tiny—about two or three bites each—and have a pretty good cakey texture. They’re soft without being mushy, with just enough density that they don't feel spongy at all. The cinnamon powdered sugar coating adds a pleasant sweetness and warm cinnamon flavor without going completely over the top.

Honestly, these are probably one step up from the normal grocery store mini donuts. The texture is good. The flavor is good. The cinnamon-to-sugar ratio is good. Dunk a couple into coffee and you’ve got yourself a perfectly respectable little breakfast/snack situation. They’re also small enough that you can eat three and tell yourself, “Well, they’re mini,” which is totally sound nutritional science.

But here's the thing: why now? Trader Joe’s drops these in the middle of the fall food explosion, surrounded by pumpkin this, apple that, maple whatever, and approximately 8,000 other products screaming AUTUMN! at you. And then there’s this bag of perfectly ordinary cinnamon powdered sugar mini donuts. No pumpkin. No apple. No butternut squash. No haunted barnyard spices. Just...donuts. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe we need a little normalcy amidst all the pumpkin spice chaos.

Either way, they’re tasty, they’ve got a really nice texture, and they’re certainly worth picking up if you like this type of donut. They just don’t feel particularly Trader Joe’s-esque. Sonia and I will both go with seven and a half stars on Trader Joe's Cinnamon Powdered Sugar Mini Donuts.

Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

We used to buy Trader Joe's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread pretty regularly in the 2010s. We reviewed it 13 years ago on this very blog. Sonia and I took a long break from purchasing the product and now we're back at it trying this one. They've added the word "spice" to the title: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread.

The Google search AI informed me that it's basically been the exact same product all along...except it totally isn't. It's similar, but if you click that link in the first line of this review, you'll see that the ingredients, while comparable, are not exactly the same. The nutrition information is different, too. This current product has the exact same serving size yet contains more calories and fat per two tablespoons.

Sonia and I both remember the version from 13 years ago being nearly whipped in consistency while this one is much denser, more like traditional cream cheese spread. It's got a nice balance of creamy tanginess and pumpkin spices. I'd say flavor-wise, it's very similar to that spread we reviewed all those years ago.

It doesn't overdo the pumpkin or the pumpkin spice. There's enough of both to know exactly what you're eating, but neither one comes across like it's trying to kick you in the face with a pumpkin spice latte. The cream cheese itself still comes through, which I appreciate. Sometimes these seasonal spreads can get a little too carried away with the flavor-of-the-month thing and forget they're supposed to be cream cheese.

We've mostly been using it on toast and bagels, although I'm sure there are plenty of other ways to put this stuff to work. It's sweet enough to feel a little indulgent but not so sweet that it becomes dessert. And with that creamy, tangy cream cheese underneath all those familiar fall spices, it's a pretty easy thing to keep reaching back into the fridge for. Basically, if you're a pumpkin spice person, this one makes sense. It pairs nicely with the pumpkin sourdough toast in case you were wondering.

$2.79 for the 8 oz tub. Kosher. Would buy again. Sonia will throw out eight out of ten stars on this one. I'll spring for eight and a half.

Bottom line: 8.25 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Plum Torte

So apparently, tortes and tartes are totally different things. They're both baked goods that can prominently feature fruit, but tortes often contain decadent fillings like ganache, mousse, or chocolate. A torte is a type of cake, while a tarte is a type of pastry. Tartes are French in origin, while tortes hail from Austria and Germany.

Trader Joe's Plum Torte, however, comes to us from Canada. Unlike traditional tortes, this one uses a wheat flour base instead of ground nuts. This is, in fact, the very first torte that Sonia and I have ever had, so we really can't vouch for its authenticity.

But we can vouch for its scrumptiousness. Absolutely divine. From frozen, bake for 20 minutes at 350°F and you've got a stellar dessert for six people.

The crust gets a little firm and almost crunchy on the outside, yet it's soft and moist on the inside. It's sweet and oh-so-buttery. It's just fine by itself...but the plum filling is even better. The beautiful wifey and I were both skeptical that the texture of the plums—particularly their skins—would be melt-in-the-mouth delicious. We feared something leathery, chewy, and/or stringy that could ruin the mouthfeel of the dessert. One bite and we realized our fears were totally unfounded.

The plum filling is at least as good as the breading. It's like a sweet jelly with real plums baked right in. Please watch the video review embedded in this post to see tons of close up shots of the torte in action. Certain bites feature what appear to be entire plums. Delicious.

Our biggest complaint? Not every bite contains plums. Once you've had a bite or two with huge amounts of the plums and the filling, you suddenly want every bite to be bursting with the fruit, but they're just not distributed very evenly. They're tart and sweet and almost reminiscent of a berry medley in terms of flavor.

This toothsome treat does not need any help in our humble opinions, but if you were so inclined, we're quite certain whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream would make this dish even more delectable. We'll try it that way next time. It's nearly plum perfect as is.

Eight bucks for this big 1 lb 2.7 oz box. Product of Canada. Kosher. Would buy again. This is a Thanksgiving Dinner caliber dessert by our reckoning. I wouldn't be ashamed of bringing this as my contribution to the dessert table alongside Turkey Day legends like apple pie and pumpkin pie. The beautiful wifey and I both gave Trader Joe's Plum Torte eight and a half stars out of ten during the recording of our video review. Having reheated and re-tasted it, in retrospect, I'd give it a nine.

Bottom line: 8.75 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Fiesta Guacamole

I certainly didn't grow up eating a lot of guacamole, but I love it. I'm not sure if I'd consider myself a connoisseur of fine guacamole, but here are a few of my credentials: I've eaten it at more than a few decent Mexican restaurants. Sonia and I (emphasis on Sonia) have made our own guac before. We mashed avocados and added our own onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and a few spices. We've eaten and/or reviewed:

Trader Joe's Spicy Mango Habanero Guacamole

Trader Joe's Chunky Spicy Guacamole Autèntico

Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole

Trader Joe's Avocado Mash

So you know, I'm at least a casual guac fanatic as I'm sure many of you are, as well. Sonia's been eating it since she was a kid, so her guacamole roots go back even farther than mine. And not only are we fond of guac, but we're quite fond of roasted corn and black beans, including any and all corn & bean salsas that we've tried. So Trader Joe's Fiesta Guacamole with Black Beans & Fire Roasted Corn seemed like it'd be right up our alley.

It's good, but it could be better. The corn and beans add a little bit of texture to the guac, but not a whole lot of flavor. And since the guac is so full of corn and beans—which would normally be a good thing—there's not a lot of room for all the pico de gallo type ingredients which give other guacamoles a lot of their flavor.

Don't get me wrong, the product still has some onion, garlic, and pepper flavor, but it needs more of it. It lacks that punch that a lot of excellent guacamole dips provide. It lacks sass. I want to love it, but I just can't help but compare it to the above-mentioned mango habanero guacamole. That stuff was spicy and potent and it brought a wonderful, bright tropical flavor that was totally unique. Corn and beans just don't have the pungency required to punch through the dense earthiness of avocado.

We put it in tacos, we used it as a dip with tortilla chips, and we did a few other fun things with it in the kitchen. And that's probably where this Fiesta Guacamole works best. It's versatile enough to add some creaminess, corn, beans, and a little bit of flavor to whatever you're making. I could see it working nicely on nachos, burritos, quesadillas, or even alongside some grilled chicken or steak. So it's not like this stuff is useless by any means. It's just that when we ate it straight up as guacamole, we kept wishing it had a little more personality.

We'll finish the tub, no problem, but we probably wouldn't go out of our way to purchase again. $3.49 for the 10 oz container. Found in the refrigerated section. Kosher. Product of Mexico. Seven out of ten stars from both the beautiful wifey and me for Trader Joe's Fiesta Guacamole with Black Beans & Fire Roasted Corn.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Donut Holes

Considering that Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Donut Holes are gluten free and dairy free, I guess it's hard to shaft them completely. But there have been so many gluten free offerings from Trader Joe's throughout the years that have been just as good, if not better, than their traditional glutenful counterparts that it's hard for me to garner much enthusiasm for these little do-dads.

Yes, we've tried the gluten free pumpkin muffins and liked those quite a bit. I think those are head and shoulders better than these donut holes—and the muffins aren't even pretending to be a dessert treat. Right? I mean donuts are supposed to be more indulgent than muffins. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I'll take those muffins over these donut holes any day of the week. Although I'm guessing they're out of season right now, the gluten free strawberry muffins were even better still.

These donut holes are dense, cakey, and somewhat soft, though they don't quite achieve the mouthfeel of a traditional donut hole in my opinion. There's just a hint of something stiff—a whisper of something not-fresh-baked. The glaze is fine, providing a slightly firmer outer layer and a sugary sheen to the appearance of the spherical treats, though Sonia says it rubs off too easily on the inside of the package. They're bite-sized and convenient.

The flavor is good. There's rice and tapioca flour in the mix, and honestly they taste more like classic wheat flour donuts more than they feel like classic wheat flour donuts. The spice blend is inoffensive with an appropriate amount of sweetness. There's actual pumpkin puree adding a bit of warm, rich earthiness.

Despite the positive buzz about these donuts, I'd steer any gluten free folks toward Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pumpkin Streusel Muffins before these particular gf confections, but that's just my take on the matter. In the end, most folks are just fine with this product if not rabidly fanatical about it. Each to his own.

$3.49 for the 6 oz package. Gluten free. Dairy free. Kosher. Sonia liked these a tad more than I did. She'll give Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice Donut Holes seven and a half stars. I'll go with six and a half.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Apple Pie à la Mode Ice Cream

Well, folks, apple season has officially arrived at Trader Joe’s, and this time they’ve taken one of the greatest combinations known to mankind—apple pie and vanilla ice cream—and stuffed the whole thing into a pint. If apple pie a la mode is really just apple pie with ice cream, then wouldn't this technically be Trader Joe's Apple Pie with Ice Cream Flavored Ice Cream..? I mean, it's kinda redundant, no? Meh. Semantics.

This applicious frozen dessert starts with a rich vanilla ice cream base, then adds sweetened spiced apple pieces, pie crust pieces, and an apple cinnamon and nutmeg swirl. Basically somebody took a slice of apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on it and said, “Yeah, but what if we just eliminated the plate?”

I’ve seen some people complain that this doesn’t have enough cinnamon and spice and everything nice. I respectfully disagree. I thought the cinnamon level was pretty much perfect. You definitely get the cinnamon-spiced apple flavor, but it doesn’t completely overwhelm the vanilla ice cream. And the overall flavor is outstanding: milky vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sweet apple all working together very nicely.

The apple pieces are particularly good. They taste like actual sweet apples rather than some weird artificial apple-flavored substance. They also pick up some of that cinnamon-spiced apple flavor, which makes them taste even more like the filling from an actual apple pie.

Our biggest complaint? Sonia and I both wish there were more apple and more pie crust pieces. The pie pieces that are in there have a nice texture: not too soggy, not too hard, and just enough chewiness to remind you that, yes, there is supposed to be pie in this ice cream.

We did encounter a few sections of the pint that seemed a little icy, which was weird. Thankfully, those spots were pretty sparse and didn't ruin the experience. The vanilla ice cream itself is good, sweet, creamy, and basically nothing to complain about. It provides a nice backdrop for all the apple pie goodness without getting in the way.

At $3.99 for the pint, Trader Joe’s Apple Pie a la Mode Ice Cream is a pretty easy recommendation if you’re an apple cinnamon fan. It’s also kosher. The beautiful wifey gives it eight and a half out of ten stars. I’m giving it eight and a half as well. We’re tough graders, especially when it comes to ice cream, so anything above an eight from us means this one is definitely worth checking out. Get some more spiced apple and pie crust pieces in there, and this would be Pantheon material, easily.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.